I'm willing to give the NRA tweeter the benefit of the doubt -- they probably had simply not heard about the event. Gohmert, on the other hand, is an utter waste of skin who by the end of this day will probably have claimed at least once that the shooting is the direct fault of the President and/or teh gheys.

Quasar:"It does make me wonder, with all those people in the theater, was there nobody that was carrying a gun that could have stopped this guy more quickly?"

He's got a point. I mean, establishing a crossfire in a dark room filled with tear gas seems like a reasonable alternative.

Are you suggesting it would be difficult to wound a target wearing a bullet proof vest and gas mask, wielding an assault rifle, shotgun and several pistols in the middle of a darkly lit theater while your eyes and lungs are being burned by tear gas?

Codenamechaz:Quasar: "It does make me wonder, with all those people in the theater, was there nobody that was carrying a gun that could have stopped this guy more quickly?"

He's got a point. I mean, establishing a crossfire in a dark room filled with tear gas seems like a reasonable alternative.

Are you suggesting it would be difficult to wound a target wearing a bullet proof vest and gas mask, wielding an assault rifle, shotgun and several pistols in the middle of a darkly lit theater while your eyes and lungs are being burned by tear gas?

I think if several heroic bystanders just started firing towards muzzle flashes, the situation would resolve itself rapidly.

"Know your target and what is beyond.""Be absolutely sure you have identified your target beyond any doubt. Equally important, be aware of the area beyond your target. This means observing your prospective area of fire before you shoot. Never fire in a direction in which there are people or any other potential for mishap. Think first. Shoot second."

Codenamechaz:Are you suggesting it would be difficult to wound a target wearing a bullet proof vest and gas mask, wielding an assault rifle, shotgun and several pistols in the middle of a darkly lit theater while your eyes and lungs are being burned by tear gas?

Quasar:Codenamechaz: Quasar: "It does make me wonder, with all those people in the theater, was there nobody that was carrying a gun that could have stopped this guy more quickly?"

He's got a point. I mean, establishing a crossfire in a dark room filled with tear gas seems like a reasonable alternative.

Are you suggesting it would be difficult to wound a target wearing a bullet proof vest and gas mask, wielding an assault rifle, shotgun and several pistols in the middle of a darkly lit theater while your eyes and lungs are being burned by tear gas?

I think if several heroic bystanders just started firing towards muzzle flashes, the situation would resolve itself rapidly.

Exactly!

There would have been a lot of collateral damage, but they would be heroes that were killed by bullets of freedom!

And as such they would have been eligible for a full military funeral! *

Quasar:Codenamechaz: Quasar: "It does make me wonder, with all those people in the theater, was there nobody that was carrying a gun that could have stopped this guy more quickly?"

He's got a point. I mean, establishing a crossfire in a dark room filled with tear gas seems like a reasonable alternative.

Are you suggesting it would be difficult to wound a target wearing a bullet proof vest and gas mask, wielding an assault rifle, shotgun and several pistols in the middle of a darkly lit theater while your eyes and lungs are being burned by tear gas?

I think if several heroic bystanders just started firing towards muzzle flashes, the situation would resolve itself rapidly.

Yeah, and just imagine if they managed to hit a kid.. or of the police came in and mistook our 'heroic bystander' for the shooter.

A responsible gun owner will only fire their weapon if they are confident of their target and their surroundings. It's the gun owners who use their weapons as penis extensions who get stiffies at the thought of a running gun battle with an armed gunman, in dark and chaotic circumstances.

Quasar:"It does make me wonder, with all those people in the theater, was there nobody that was carrying a gun that could have stopped this guy more quickly?"

He's got a point. I mean, establishing a crossfire in a dark room filled with tear gas seems like a reasonable alternative.

I bet there actually were some CCW people there. I know if I was there I would have been carrying. I also know that if I was there, unless I was in a VERY close proximity to the shooter under reasonable conditions to engage, or could have positioned my self in such a way, I would not have been stupid enough to even try it - for just the reasons you mention.

Codenamechaz:Quasar: "It does make me wonder, with all those people in the theater, was there nobody that was carrying a gun that could have stopped this guy more quickly?"

He's got a point. I mean, establishing a crossfire in a dark room filled with tear gas seems like a reasonable alternative.

Are you suggesting it would be difficult to wound a target wearing a bullet proof vest and gas mask, wielding an assault rifle, shotgun and several pistols in the middle of a darkly lit theater while your eyes and lungs are being burned by tear gas?

Yes, but the panicked people running between you and the target will stop some of the return fire and give you more time to spot the muzzle flashes, so it sort of cancels out.

Of course it's the victims' fault. If everyone just had a gun, body armor, gas mask, hand-to-hand combat training, guard dogs, body guards, knives, grenades, and a bible, none of this would have happened.

Petit_Merdeux:Quasar: Codenamechaz: Quasar: "It does make me wonder, with all those people in the theater, was there nobody that was carrying a gun that could have stopped this guy more quickly?"

He's got a point. I mean, establishing a crossfire in a dark room filled with tear gas seems like a reasonable alternative.

Are you suggesting it would be difficult to wound a target wearing a bullet proof vest and gas mask, wielding an assault rifle, shotgun and several pistols in the middle of a darkly lit theater while your eyes and lungs are being burned by tear gas?

I think if several heroic bystanders just started firing towards muzzle flashes, the situation would resolve itself rapidly.

Exactly!

There would have been a lot of collateral damage, but they would be heroes that were killed by bullets of freedom!

And as such they would have been eligible for a full military funeral! *

* Offer void where prohibited by law.

Freedom bullets never miss their intended target. They are blessed with Judeo-Christian Freedom

Time to repeal the Second amendment. Hunters, either learn to use a bow and arrow, or go fishing instead. Last I heard its not possible to have a fully-automatic assault fish rod, unless I just got done FARKING a chick with a yeast infection.

CliChe Guevara:Quasar: "It does make me wonder, with all those people in the theater, was there nobody that was carrying a gun that could have stopped this guy more quickly?"

He's got a point. I mean, establishing a crossfire in a dark room filled with tear gas seems like a reasonable alternative.

I bet there actually were some CCW people there. I know if I was there I would have been carrying. I also know that if I was there, unless I was in a VERY close proximity to the shooter under reasonable conditions to engage, or could have positioned my self in such a way, I would not have been stupid enough to even try it - for just the reasons you mention.

/There probably were CCW holders there. Likely just smart ones.

There could have been. But the people who are suggesting that someone should have been shooting back are crazy.

Quasar:"It does make me wonder, with all those people in the theater, was there nobody that was carrying a gun that could have stopped this guy more quickly?"

He's got a point. I mean, establishing a crossfire in a dark room filled with tear gas seems like a reasonable alternative.

Well, since everyone would be running towards the isles and away from the shooter, You would have a pretty clear shot on him(The chance of hitting someone else would be less). And maybe this draws fire away from the people running away. So maybe less die.

Put it this way - He got to execute his plan. Nobody slowed him up, and he left the theater of his own accord, and the police got him outside. Anything anyone could have done to slow up his plan might have saved lives.

sillydragon:I dunno, the original Fark thread on the shooting had some pretty good ITGs and "I carry a large weapon in a holster to make up for the tiny one in my pants" folks.

Not all CCW people are ITG's. I often carry a compact but efficient weapon in a holster to protect the compact but efficient one in my pants. Not all gun owners are nutters, we roll our eyes at those guys too.

I also don't think self-defense firearms would fit into this situation very well. Personal firearms are more appropriate for situations where you aren't ambushed in the dark with gas-grenades and disoriented crowds.

That being said, I don't want to get a pat-down or rapiscan when going to see a movie.

Looking forward to the analysis of this guy's motives. Maybe we can get some kind of homicide hotline to help them through their troubles.